Many people who have suffered from anxiety or other stress related issues talk about something called depersonalization disorder.
Let me say from the start, I don’t think depersonalization disorder exists. This is just another label given to another symptom with many possible causes. And as I have written about on this blog before I don’t believe that labels help us or serve us in the long run. In fact I think they hinder our recovery.
That said, the powers that be in the world of medical/psychological nomenclature have seen fit to create the phrase depersonalization disorder. And as many people who contact this site say, depersonalization is a common symptom of panic and anxiety.
in DSM IV depersonalization is described as:
“A lasting or recurring feeling of being detached from the patient’s own body.”
In my experience, during a period of depersonalization one feels as if nothing is real. The things around you, even your own limbs, seem to be disconnected and distant. It is almost as if you are watching yourself on a screen. If you have experienced it, you will know what I am talking about.
Important
Depersonalization can be a symptom of various illnesses. It is absolutely imperative that you speak to your doctor if you experience any kind of depersonalization.
If your doctor is satisfied that you don’t have any other condition then depersonalization is likely to be due to anxiety, stress or panic. It is in fact the third most common reported psychological symptom after anxiety and depression. Like symptoms of anxiety and panic, depersonalization is highly unpleasant but absolutely harmless. And it does pass.
Treatment of depersonalization
Assuming it is caused by anxiety or stress (and instead of assuming remember you should check with a doctor) the treatments available are roughly the same as those for anxiety. SSRI’s have been known to help, and obviously CBT and other therapies can provide a long term solution. It is unfortunately a very under-researched area of psychology, so hopefully in the future more will be understood and there will be better advice.
thanks, this really helps.
Wow. You are very bold to claim that such a disorder does not even exist! I guess I must be crazy then. I started having severe panic attacks when I was 15 years old. Today I am 24 and have had Depersonalization Disorder since around the age of 18. For those first 3 panic-years, the attacks were severe and seemingly endless, but there were breaks in between. I can’t pinpoint an exact moment of when the change took place, but sometime the year that I was 18 it’s almost as if I had a panic attack that was so severe that it just kinda stuck in my brain. Now it’s been about 6 years since I’ve had an “official” panic attack, but I still have that permanant one.. the one from when I was 18 years old.. the one that has not gone away once in 6 years, not even for a moment. If you experience depersonalization or derealization for a moment, it is a symptom. If you experience it chronically, as I do, it is a disorder. I’m sorry that you don’t like labels, or whatever your issue is, but DPD does exist. No need to guess.
Hi!
I appreciate the above comment and have posted a long winded response…to read it please click here.
to comment 2 i echo your comments. Although this may be a symptom of high anxiety i do however, consider it a different condition\disorder. I have had it non stop since a serious panic attack in 2007 that was caused by a serious accident i was involved in. It has some how turned on a switch in my brain that i can not turn off.
Please can you give me some advice.
My 16yr old son, has every symptom of depersonalization…. when he has an attack he feels very detached, and has bad bouts of tirdness, on one occasion he slept for 4 days on and off .
This all started about a year and a half ago, when he had a very bad panic attack, which caused him to have a complete shutdown , and he was taken to hospital for 4 days to recover , after many brain test, bloods , anything bad was ruled out.
About 6 months ago he tried POT , which brought on the same feelings again of feeling detached from his body , this lasted 5 days, and then 3 nights ago he drunk 4 cans of larger which has brought on the same feelings ……
When this happens he becomes very tired and just wants to sleep all day ….. and even after sleeping 10hrs he will wake feeling tired …..
Please can you advise me of what to do …..
many thanks
tROY
I wanted to share the following community offering information and support for those living with depersonalization and derealization:
DepersonalizationCommunity.com
As a person suffering from permanent depersonalization for 15 years, I agree with your summary statement that depersonalization often results of anxiety and panic disorder, but I completely disagree with your assessment that it should not be categorized as a special disorder. I believe you are speaking from your own experience, as we all tend to do. My experience with this disorder however is completely different from yours, and I know that a large proportion of people with a diagnosis of DP experience something close to what I have. To keep long story short, I *did* develop depersonalization as a result of strong generalized anxiety disorder. However, I had pronounced GAD for ten years prior to developing DP, and did not have a *single* symptom of DP/DR. Conversely, after developing DP/DR I lost all ability to feel panic, and even my anxiety feels completely different.
But the main point I want to make is that your statement that “DP will pass” is simply unfounded, and you make it no doubt based on your experiences. I had DP for 15 years, and did not have *a single day* without DP (despite trying close to 30 different medications, which didn’t make one bit of a difference). Another erroneous statement is that DP term is pushed by psychiatrists. In fact, this is the term I used to describe my symptoms even before there was a *single* reference to DP on the internet – it’s just such a natural and most precise description of what it feels like. I thought I was the only person on a planet with depersonalization, but thankfully, because of DSM, I learned that I am not.